Cigar lighter



Oct. 14, 1930. 1 5|NKO 1,778,647

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed OCT.. 16, 1929 Tuve/@6K Joh/n 55m/cq Patented Oct. 14, 1930 TOEN SINKO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS cIGAit LIGHTER Application filed October 16, 1929. Serial No. 399,929.

This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the class used on automobiles and has reference more particularly to a type commonly known as wireless lighters, Vwhich are characterized by the provision of a socket member mounted on the dash or other part of the car body and carrying contact terminals wired to the battery, and a plug member comprising a hand piece carrying an igniter element and a cooperating contact terminal, the plug member being moved in the socket member to close the circuit through said contact terminals and held in such position until the igniter element has become heated to incandescence, and then re' moved from the socket member for use.

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon a cigar lighter forming the subject matter of an application hereto- 2o fore filed by me on the 31st day of October, 1928, Serial No. 316,164, and among its 0bjects are, to simplify the construction of the aforesaid application, and to provide a construction wherein the plug member will be more securely held `in the socket member against accidental dislodgement.

The present invention is illustrated, as to t its preferred construction, in the accompany- ,ing drawing, in which* Fig. 1 is anaXial sectional view of the lighter and its supporting bracket. e

Fig. 2 is a front'elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal axial section through the front limb of the supporting bracket and the mounting means for the socket terminal. Y Fig. 4 is a group view showing in front and rear perspective a spring-supported element of the socket member which receives and clampsthe removable plug member.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the front limb of the supporting bracket.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and showing a p0rtion of the terminal supporting disc engaged therewith.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates as a whole, a U- shape/d attaching bracket, the forward upstanding limb 10:L of which carries the lighter, and the rear upstanding limb 10b of which carries a binding screw 11 by which the bracket lower edge of an instrument board. The

lower horizontal limb of the bracket andthe lowerportion passage of a circuit i of the forward limb 10a are preferably slotted as shown,

to facilitate the wire.

Mounted on the .circular rim of the front bracket limb 10a is a circular metal shell 12 formed with an inwardly curled frontl marginal stop flange Within the shell 12 and abutting at its outer end against the fiange 13 is arcupp-shaped Adetail in Fig. 4, an outwardly dire that normally abu member 14, shown in isolated Iformed on its front and with cted marginal flange l5 ts against the marginal stop iange 13 of the shell 12. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be observed .that the circular wall and marginal fiange of the cup-shaped member 14 are formed with spaced transverse slits or kerfs 14 four of which, spaced 90 apart, are herein shown; but a greater or less number may be employed. The rear ends of the kerfs 14 a-re also preferably extended for a slight distance into the bottom wall of the cup-shaped member.

slits or kerfs is to give limited capacity for contracting and expand- To increase the contracting 'tendency of ing. the circular wall I cular spring wire 1 The purpose of these to the circular wall a preferably employ a cir- 6 that hugs the wall just under the iange 15, this spring tending to draw inwardly the sections of the Wall formed between the slits or kerfs 14. The bottom wall of the member 14 is formed with an inwardly pressed low circular boss 14B formed with a central opening 14b for a purpose hereinafter described. Describing next the contact terminal of the f socket member and its supporting or mountying means, and referring to Figs. .3, 5 and 6, the opposite sides of the circular forward limb 10a of th e supporting bracket are formed with outwardly pressed arcuate lugs 17, which are centrally apertured as shown at 18. Lying against the outer faces of the lu s 17 is a thin disc 19 of steel or other elastic sheet metal, which receive a terminal is centrally apertured to stud 20, that is formed on its inner end with a rounded head 20.

The stud 20 is insu lated from the disc 19 by liber washers 21 and 22, the former of which has areduced inner portion 21 filling thev aperture 1n the disc 19 through Kwhich the stud 20 extends. A. wire lead 23 from the battery is wound around the other end portion of the stud 20 being clamped between the fiber washer 22 and a brass washer 24 that is locked on the stud by an outwardly swaged lip 25 on the end of the latter. By reference to Figs.

i i 3 and 6, it will be observed that the elastic disc 19 is formed at diametrically opposite points thereof with indented lugs 26 on the rear sidel thereof that fit into the holes 18 of the bracket bosses 17. These lugs 26'lock the disc 19V against turning movement and also against exdgewise displacement, thus accurately centering thecontact stud 20; and the elasticity'of the disc 19 permits the contact stud 20 to yield slightly rearwardly when the cooperating plug member is pushed inwardly to close the circuit, as hereinafter more fully'described.

Encircling the cup-shaped member 14 and' .is substantially identical, with the correspondf ing element disclosed in my former application above identified but may be briefly described as follows.

28 designates a hand iece of bakelite, hard rubber, or other like ma erial having the 'general form of a'telephone'transmitter mouth iecey and formed with an internal annular rib 29. Locked on the rib 29 is the outer end 'of another metal cup-shaped member 30, the

latter being formed at its vouter end with an enlargement 30 tightly fitting. the circular wall of 'the rib 29, and said enlargement having an annular ange 30a seated onthe outer vside of the rib 29. To center andv lock the i member 30 in place, an annular met l washer 31 is driven over the body of t e member 30 into engagement with the inner side of the rib 29. The inner or bottom wall ofthe cup-shaped member 30 has, a laterally olfset portion y32 formed with' aecentral aper- 'ture'33 through which, and 'out of contact with theedge of aperture 33, extends a tapped contact stud 34 supported by a liber washer 35 seated in the 'inset 32. '.Stud 34 has aV kerf 34 in fits .head for application and adjust-ment by a screw driver.. Seated in the open front end of the member 30 is a shallow igniter carrier 36 formed with a marginal flange 36 on its outer end overlapping-the flange 30a. The igniter carrier 36 has a central hole v37l through which extends with clearance a screw 38 supported by iber washers 39 and 40, the former of which has a reduced inner portion 39l filling the hole 37 inthe lgniter carrier 36. The liber washers 39 and 40 are clamped on the carrier-36 by a brass washer 41 and nut 42. The inner end of the screw 38 enters the tapped contact 34. The head of screw 38 is slotted to receive the inner end of the spiral igniter element 43,

the outer end of the latter being electrically connected to the rim of the carrier 36, which latter lies in contact with the outer end of the member 30. c

In operation, the spring 27 normally maintains the contacts 34 and 20 separated. To heat the ignition coil 43, the hand piece 28 is pressed inwardly, compressing spring 27, and closing the circuit between contacts 20 and 34, the circuit being grounded on brac'et 10 through arts 36, 30, 14%, 14, springs 16 and 27, an disc 19; it being noted that when the hand piece is fully entered in the socket Lmember', the ground circuit is closed by contact of the inner end of the member 30 .with the boss 14a. The hand 'piece is held pressed in until the coil is in. candescent, when it is pulled out of the 'socket and used. When replaced, spring 27 yield slightly rearwardly, thus insuring a v spring-pressed bearing thereof on the head of the. contact 34, making a more reliable Aand perfect contact than where the rear termi'nal stud is lrigidly held.

' The shank of the hand piece 28 is of such a diameter as to have a snug sliding lit in the cup-shaped member 14, and as the plug is kpushed inwardly the circumferential wall sections of the member 14 expand 'slightly and hug the shank of the hand piece by virtue of their own resiliency, aided by the contracting force of the spring 16, where the latter is used..- This construction provides a very'secure grip of the socket member on the plug member which effectively prevents accidental dislodgment of the plug member under the jolting movements of the car. It'willalso benoted that the described construction provides an annulgr air space of substantial size between the metal cylinstruction .this insulation space is* considerc ably enlarged overthe corresponding "insu` lation space disclosed in my pending application above identied.

i .-j' 1. In a'wireless cigar lighter, a socket member including an outerv shell formed withA an internal stop ange on its forward end, and a spring metal cup-shaped member within said shell, the bottom wall of said cup-shaped member being apertured and its circumferential t wall being expansible to telescopically receive and grip a cooperating plug member inserted therein, a spring in said shell urging said cup-shaped member outwardly against said flange, and a circuit contact terminal disposed in rear of said cup-shaped member adapted to engage through the aperture of the latter with a contact terminal on the plug member when the latter is pushed inwardly compressing said spring. i

2. ln a wireless cigar lighter, a socket member including an outer shell formed with an internal stop flange on its forward end, a spring metal cup-shaped member within said shell having a centrally apertured bottom wall and an external annular iange adapted to contact with said stop flange, the circumferential wall and annular flange of said cup-shaped member being longitudinally split to telescopi-cally receive and grip a cooperating plug member inserted therein, a sprinO` embracing and compressing said circumferential wall, a coil spring in said shell encircling said cupshaped member and urgin the latter outwardly against said sto ange, Land a circuit contact terminal disposed in rear of said cup-shaped member adapted to engage through the apertured bottom wall of the latter with a contact terminal on the plug member when the latter is pushed inwardly compressing said last-named spring.

3; ln a' wireless cigar 'lighter, a socket member including an outer shell formed with an internal stop flange on its forward end, and a spring metal cup-shaped member within said shell, having on an external annular flange adaptedto conv tact with said stop flange, and its bottom wall and - to telescopically being apertured, the circumferential wall annular ange of said cup-shaped member being longitudinally split to telescopically receive and grip a cooperating plug member inserted therein, a coil spring in said shell encircling said cup-shaped member and urging the latter outwardly against said'stopu flange, and a 7circuit contact terminal disposed in rear of said cup-shaped member adapted to engage through thegaperture of the latter with a contact terminal on the plug member when the latter is pushed inwardly compressing said spring.

mounted on said bracket plate and formed with an internal stop in said shaped cumferential wall being longitudinally split receive and grip a cooperatshell, the bottom wall of saidV cuping plug member inserted therem, a terminal its forward endu -against said ln a wireless cigarlighter, the combi-v member beingapertured and' its"cir` supporting plate mounted on the outer face of said bracket plate a coil spring in said shell footed on said terminal supporting plate and urging said outwardly against said stop ange, and a circuit contactterminal mounted on said terminal supporting plate in rear of said cupshaped member adapted to engage through the aperture of the latter with a contact terminal on the plug member when the latter is pushed inwardly compressing said spring.

5. In a wirelesscigar lighter, the combinau tilon with a supportinuV bracket plate, of a socket member inclu g an outer shell mounted at its outer end on said bracket plate and formed with an internal stop ange on its forward end, a spring metal cry-shaped member within said shell, the bottom Wall of said cup-shaped member being formed with a centrally apertured outwardly extend- Ying boss and its open end formed with a cirplate within said shell, cooperating locking means on said bracket plate and disc acting to center the latter on said bracket plate, a coil spring in said shell footed on said disc and urging said cup-shaped member outwardly against said stop flan ge, a circuit contact terminal centrally mounted on said disc, and a removable plug ymember comprising a hand piece insertable in said cupshaped member andgripped bythe longitudinally split wall of the latter, a rearwardly extending metal tubular member mounted in said hand piece at its inner end abutting boss whensaid hand piece is inserted, an ignition element Ymounted in said hand piece, said ignition element being electrically connected at one end to said tubular member, a second contact terminal mounted in and insulated from said boss and normal ly separated from said first-named contact .mrminal by said spring, and an electrode flange on its forward i end, a spring metal cup-shaped member with#4 cup-shaped member 

